Students at St. Stanislaus School in Chicopee show holiday spirit

St. Stanislaus School celebrates the Christmas season. First-grader Mia Boutin and her Labrador retriever, Harvey, have their photo taken with Santa.Photo by Mary Ann Bail

By MARY ANN BAIL

CHICOPEE - In the first weeks of Dcember, it's all about Christmas. And all about children.

On Dec. 9, the parent group at St. Stanislaus School here sponsored a day-long event, beginning with breakfast with Santa Claus for students and their families.

The menu included pancakes, sausage, orange juice and cinnamon buns, according to Gabriella Kesser, a sixth-grader, who, along with Giselle Howe, an eighth-grader, helped with the event.

Gabriella said she enjoyed "seeing the little kids all excited to see Santa." Giselle added that it was great that "everyone was coming together to have a good time with their friends."

Savannah Soja, a kindergartner, sat with Santa for a picture. She asked him for the movie, "Barbie, the Princess and the Pop Star." And, she added, "I want the dolls, too!"

After breakfast, the students decorated sugar cookies and made "reindeer food," which consisted of oatmeal and sprinkles. Soja said she ate her cookie with "lots of sprinkles," but she was "going to save her reindeer food for when Santa comes."

Then it was arts and crafts, with the pupils creating ornaments for their Christmas trees at home.

The day's final event, a tradition that began last year, was pet pictures taken with Santa.

Assistant principal Karen Shea, one of the coordinators for the event, showed her photo of her black Labrador retriever in Santa's lap. Morgan Presnal, from the second grade, said her cat, Abby, was "comfortable" with Santa, while Harley, Mia Boutin's Labrador retriever, was a "little nervous."

Boutin, who is in the first grade, added that her parents used the photo for the family's Christmas cards.

The pet photos went off without a hitch, Shea said. She added that Jennifer Malanowski, a parent who took all the pictures, "did a great job with the animals and the students."

"Another thing we're really excited about is the Toys for Tots program," added Shea. "The First American Insurance Agency, next door, invited us to partner with them for the collection." The response was impressive, as St. Stanislaus students and their families gathered gifts in the school foyer.

"The students know that we're very fortunate and that we share what we have with other children in the community," Shea said.